A smartcard is an example of an RFID device that has a transponder chip module (TCM) or an antenna module (AM) disposed in a card body (CB) or an inlay substrate.
The antenna module (AM) or antenna chip module, which may be referred to as a transponder chip module (TCM) may generally comprise:                a module tape (MT) or chip carrier tape (CCT), more generally, simply a support “substrate”;        an RFID chip (CM, IC) which may be a bare, unpackaged silicon die or a chip module (a die with leadframe, interposer, carrier or the like), typically disposed on a “face-down side” or “bond side” or “chip side” (or surface) of the module tape (MT);        the RFID chip may have an antenna integrated therein, but generally a module antenna (MA) is typically required to effect contactless communication between the RFID chip and another RFID device such as an external contactless reader;        a module antenna (MA) or antenna structure (AS), typically disposed on the same face-down side of the module tape (MT) as the RFID chip (IC), and connected therewith, for implementing a contactless interface, such as ISO 14443 and NFC/ISO 15693 with a contactless reader or other RFID device.        
When operating in a contactless mode, a passive antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may be powered by RF from an external RFID reader, and may also communicate by RF with the external RFID reader.
A dual-interface antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may also have a contact pad array (CPA), typically comprising 6 or 8 contact pads (CP, or “ISO pads”) disposed on a “face-up side” or “contact side” (or surface) of the module tape (MT), for interfacing with a contact reader in a contact mode (ISO 7816). A connection bridge (CBR) may be disposed on the face-up side of the tape for effecting a connection between two components such as the module antenna and the RFID chip on the other face-down side of the module tape.
A conventional antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may be generally rectangular, having four sides, and measuring approximately 8.2 mm×10.8 mm for a 6-contact module and 11.8 mm×13.0 mm for an 8-contact module. As disclosed herein, a generally rectangular transponder chip module (TCM) may have a larger or smaller form factor than a conventional transponder chip module (TCM). Alternatively, the transponder chip module (TCM) may be round, elliptical, or other non-rectangular shape.
A module antenna (MA) may be disposed on the module tape (MT) for implementing a contactless interface, such as ISO 14443 and NFC/ISO 15693. Contact pads (CP) may be disposed on the module tape (MT) for implementing a contact interface, such as ISO 7816.
A planar antenna (PA) structure, or simply “planar antenna (PA)”, whether chemically-etched (CES) or laser-etched (LES), is a type of antenna structure (AS) and may comprise a long conductive trace or track having two ends, in the form of a planar, rectangular spiral, disposed in an outer area of a module tape (MT), surrounding the RFID chip on the face-down side of the module tape. This will result in a number of traces or tracks (actually, one long spiraling trace or track), separated by spaces (actually, one long spiraling space). The track (or trace) width may be approximately 100 μm. The planar antenna may be fabricated on other than the module tape, such as on a separate substrate, and joined to the module tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232 discloses a card which includes a first assembly comprised of multiple plastic layers attached via an adhesive to a metal layer. The multiple plastic layers forming the first assembly are laminated under a first selected temperature and pressure conditions to preshrink the multiple plastic layers, stress relieve the first assembly and render the first assembly dimensionally stable. The laminated first assembly is then attached to a metal layer via an adhesive layer to form a second assembly which is then laminated at a temperature below the first selected temperature to form a card which is not subjected to warpage and delamination. Claim 1 therein describes:                A method of making a card comprising the steps of:                    forming a first assembly of a first predetermined thickness, said first assembly including at least two layers of plastic material;            firstly laminating the at least two layers of different plastic material at a first predetermined temperature and pressure for forming said first assembly;                        wherein said first lamination step comprises preshrinking the at least two layers of plastic material and reducing subsequent dimensional changes of the layers forming the first assembly;                    secondly forming a second assembly including said first assembly and a metal layer with an adhesive layer between the first assembly and the metal layer; and                        laminating the second assembly at a temperature which is lower than the first predetermined temperature.        Claim 11 therein describes:        A card comprising:                    a first assembly comprised of multiple plastic layers which wherein the multiple plastic layers have been laminated at a first temperature and pressure to preshrink the layers and reduce their subsequent dimensional changes;            said first assembly having an inner surface and an outer surface; the outer surface defining one of the top and bottom side of the card;            a layer of metal material and an adhesive layer; the layer of metal material having an inner surface and an outer surface;            the inner surface of the layer of metal material being attached to the inner surface of the first assembly via said adhesive layer, the combination of said first assembly, adhesive layer and the metal layer forming a second assembly which is laminated at a temperature which is less than the first temperature, and wherein the outer surface of the layer of metal material defines the other one of the top and bottom side of the card.Smartcard Construction                        
A typical smartcard includes multiple layers of white plastic made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a clear PVC layer on top. Standard PVC films (homo-polymer) have a VICAT softening point at 76° C. The top transparent layer is referred to as an overlay and can be made of a different material film to PVC, such as a polycarbonate-based material (laser engravable). The overlay film usually has a backside coating of polyamide hotmelt, but the overlay can also be uncoated. The overlay protects the surface artwork and increases the card's shelf life. An overlay is required for cards with security features and/or magnetic stripes, and must be used with full-face foil cards. The card construction may comprise synthetic plastic materials such as ABS, PC, PVC, PETG, polyester, etc.
Observations Concerning U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the first plastic assembly could be a single layer. Wherein the single plastic layer is laminated at a temperature and pressure to preshrink the layer and reduce its subsequent dimensional change. This preshrinking procedure of the single plastic layer could be performed prior to printing of the artwork.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made of having multiple metal layers, for example two metal layers, in which the first plastic assembly is laminated to a first metal layer, and separately, a second plastic assembly is laminated to a second metal layer. In a final step, the first plastic metal layer is adhesively attached to the second plastic metal layer.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that a single plastic layer or two plastic layers with opposing grain direction could be laminated to a metal layer to facilitate the preshrinking process, before laminating or adhesively attaching the artwork layer and overlay layer to the metal plastic assembly.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the degree of shrinkage of the polymer layer(s) is directly related to the size of the sheets being laminated. In other words, the smaller the sheet size the lesser the effect of shrinkage. Equally, the size and thickness of the metal layer being laminated to the plastic layer has an influence on the transfer of heat and the ultimate shrinkage of the plastic layer, conversely, the smaller the metal layer the greater the control over the shrinkage of the plastic layer.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the first assembly layer shrinks greater in the grain direction than the other direction.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the plastic assembly layer(s) could be dimensionally different to the size of the metal sheet.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the metal sheet with the upper and lower plastic assemblies used to form cards could be punched out from the laminated stack-up. Instead, “the first assembly is then attached via an appropriate adhesive to a sheet of metal material to form a second assembly. The second assembly is then laminated at a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature to form a laminated “metal-plastic” sheet which can then be cut to form individual cards. The individual cards may be subsequently personalized.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the final lamination process to assembly the card body could be performed on a single card stack-up construction, instead of a “metal-plastic” sheet.
In the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232, there is no mention made that the final lamination process to assembly the card body could be performed on a single card stack-up construction, using a slightly oversized card format, instead of a “metal-plastic” sheet. In a subsequent process the edges of the laminated oversized card stack-up could be milled, trimmed or otherwise adjusted to bring the dimensions of the laminated oversized card stack-up to the desired value.
In short, U.S. Pat. No. 8,672,232 describes two plastic layers laminated at a first temperature, then laminated with an adhesive layer to a metal layer at a second temperature (lower than the first).
Some options (alternatives, different constructions) proposed in the embodiments of this invention may include the following:                1. One plastic layer, other layers could be made of a metal foil (holofoil), paper, fleece, etc.        2. Only one laminating step        3. There are two laminating steps, but the second step (overlays) may have the same or a higher temperature than the first laminating step        4. Laminate at least one plastic layer to at least one metal layer to create a clad (“prelam”, or “core”, or subassembly “SAS”) then laminate outer layers to at least one of the front and back of the clad. The outer layers may comprise a printed layer and an overlay. Outer layers disposed on the front of the clad may be referred to as “front (face) subassembly”, outer layers disposed on the rear of the clad may be referred to as “back (face)subassembly”. The outer layers (front and/or rear face subassemblies) are typically card-size (having outer dimensions the same as the overall card). Some inner metal layers of the card may have outer dimensions smaller than those of the overall card.        
In a one laminating step, the front clear overlay layer, the front printed plastic layer, an adhesive layer, the core metal layer, an adhesive layer, the rear printed plastic layer and the rear clear overlay layer (with magnetic stripe) are laminated together in one step at a defined temperature and pressure. The core metal may consist of two metal layers adhesively attached together prior to the one step lamination process with the plastic layers.
Other considerations are larger graphics to compensate for shrinkage, revised lamination processes to control cold and hot lamination cycles with modified duration times and pressure, and the type of lamination plates.
Some alternate constructions may be described hereinbelow, with reference to alternate embodiments, examples or constructions (methods for manufacturing) of smartcards, according to the invention.
General Comment
In their various embodiments disclosed herein, a smartcard may comprise various layers of synthetic plastic material and metal foil. Typically, these layers have the same overall size (54 mm×86 mm) as the card, with some variations as disclosed herein (some layers may be smaller than the overall card, some layers may initially be larger than the overall card, etc.). Each layer may have a front surface and a back surface. In the drawings, the front surface is typically illustrated as the top (as viewed) surface, and the back surface is typically illustrated as the bottom (as viewed surface). The individual layers may each have a thickness. Some layers may have an opening for accepting a transponder chip module (TCM).